If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Answers to WTFWTK 2.31!

Toyguru has once again provided answers to your questions.
Thanks again to him for taking the time to answer these!
Check out his answers to your Round 31 questions!

This round of questions were selected by MossMan710179,
and proofed against old Q&As by Uncle Montork.
Thanks to them for their help!

-------------------

1. zodak74: For characters that feature capes, discs, wings, etc. that will presumably be made of a stiff unyielding plastic, could Mattel design these so that they are removable from the figure's back to maximize posability, or will they be permanently attached like capes on previous MOTUC figures?

There is no universal rule used to determine tthis. Bill Benecke and the Four Horsemen discuss this on a figure-by-figure basis.

2. King Tycho & King Kahn: Could Mattel offer 6-month subscriptions (which would help for those who missed out on 12-month subscriptions) and/or a lump sum payment for subscriptions, as opposed to payments spread across the year?

No, 2010 subscriptions are closed. Make sure to jump in on the 2011 subscription when it is offered this summer! We did offer a lump sum subscription in 2009 and very few fans were interested so we removed that option for 2010.

3. sailoruranus: Thank you for fixing Skeletor's hand on the reissue. But Skeletor's loin cloth is still made of that very hard, unforgiving material. Could this be fixed for future Skeletor figures or reissues? The figure can't even be posed in a seated position without ripping the material.

You’ll find that much like Battle Cat and He-Man when, and if, we do a ride for Skeletor he will fit perfectly in the saddle. We’ll look at ensuring the softer plastic is used on the loin cloths as much as possible.

4. robaczek: Why not make a figure available for presale right up until it goes into production, then produce enough figures to satisfy presales (for non-subscribers) + subscription sales + a slight bump for any fans who may come along on the release date? Wouldn't this help give you more accurate production numbers when the figures are released 6 or 7 months later, while helping to avoid a lot of fans missing out on the figures who then have to wait upwards of a year for a possible re-release?

This is just not the way the line is set up to work. Production issues and delays can often change which figure is being offered from the original plan and we often do not know which figure is for which month until very close to the sale date. It is much easier from a logistical standpoint to offer a full year subscription as a pre-sale option that guarantees one figure a month without being specific on who that figure is.

5. Snake Hunter: Apart from Wun-Dar and the Eternian Map, when will we know more about the additional subscription surprises that were promised?

Subscribers were offered free shipping on one Battle Cat. There may be other similar offers later in 2010 for subscribers only.

What will really be interesting is in 2011, if they go with the all-inclusive subscription - they won't really need to issue coupon codes like this, since the subscription will already cover the purchase of all items automatically. It'll be interesting to see if subscribers would end up getting items at automatically reduced rpices.

How convienant! A day after the WORST sales date in the history if the line to date, a new Q&A session. And look! 2 plugs for the 2011 sub! They're 0-3 in terms of missives sent since yesterday in that regard.

I wonder why other two lines that offer presales don't have the kind of logistic problems mentioned? Could it be because a trained monkey would likely be able to manage distribution and billing than DR has to date?!? I mean, what would be so hard about not charging the customer until the product they ordered through pre-sales ship?

Is DR really that inefficient and their CSRs so poorly trained they can't manage what other companies have done successfully for YEARS???

4. robaczek: Why not make a figure available for presale right up until it goes into production, then produce enough figures to satisfy presales (for non-subscribers) + subscription sales + a slight bump for any fans who may come along on the release date? Wouldn't this help give you more accurate production numbers when the figures are released 6 or 7 months later, while helping to avoid a lot of fans missing out on the figures who then have to wait upwards of a year for a possible re-release?

This is just not the way the line is set up to work. Production issues and delays can often change which figure is being offered from the original plan and we often do not know which figure is for which month until very close to the sale date. It is much easier from a logistical standpoint to offer a full year subscription as a pre-sale option that guarantees one figure a month without being specific on who that figure is.

Maybe that method of doing pre-orders won't work, but there certainly are ways of making it happen. Perhaps they should wait on annoucing figures until they are POSITIVE they will be released. Then, have a brief pre-order period before the figure is released. Don't tell me it can't work because they do it with video games and movies all the time. Collector's Edition games have pre-orders and once they are gone, they are gone.

5. Snake Hunter: Apart from Wun-Dar and the Eternian Map, when will we know more about the additional subscription surprises that were promised?

Subscribers were offered free shipping on one Battle Cat. There may be other similar offers later in 2010 for subscribers only.

I don't know about anyone else but I didn't get "free" shipping. I got discounted shipping. But I couldn't even use that because it took too damn long to get the coupon to work. I ended up with nothing yesterday!

4. robaczek: Why not make a figure available for presale right up until it goes into production, then produce enough figures to satisfy presales (for non-subscribers) + subscription sales + a slight bump for any fans who may come along on the release date? Wouldn't this help give you more accurate production numbers when the figures are released 6 or 7 months later, while helping to avoid a lot of fans missing out on the figures who then have to wait upwards of a year for a possible re-release?

This is just not the way the line is set up to work. Production issues and delays can often change which figure is being offered from the original plan and we often do not know which figure is for which month until very close to the sale date. It is much easier from a logistical standpoint to offer a full year subscription as a pre-sale option that guarantees one figure a month without being specific on who that figure is.

i don't get this explanation. why would you need to be 100% certain about the release schedule to do pre-orders? i pre-ordered a DVD set on amazon once and the item was canceled prior to its release, and they just sent me an email saying, sorry this item was canceled, your credit card will not be charged. what's the big deal?

Yes, I know he's still Mattel's spokesperson. But he did specify that he's not the one answering these questions. I don't want a repeat of last rounds Q&A where it was assumed that he was the one telling us Illumina was only a fan pitch.

I just think it would be helpful to separate his statements from those of the Mattel legal dept, instead of saying at the start of each Q&A "Thanks again to him for taking the time to answer these".

The whole answer to a pre-sale option is BS. If a figure has to get pushed back, it's pushed back. At some point the figure will be released and whoever pre-ordered would still get their figures. I don't mind paying 6-8 months in advance to guarantee that I can get a figure. The people at Mattel really think that their customers are morons.

i don't get this explanation. why would you need to be 100% certain about the release schedule to do pre-orders? i pre-ordered a DVD set on amazon once and the item was canceled prior to its release, and they just sent me an email saying, sorry this item was canceled, your credit card will not be charged. what's the big deal?

Apparently they don't want to go with the pre-order route (according to a recent post by ToyGuru over on the Matty forums) because they are worried about fans get angry if/when an item gets delayed or canceled.

However, I think most fans would be happier with that option than the current one of having to battle everyone else during a very limited time frame on Matty's website to get the figures, and hope that no glitches occur to screw it up if you do get in while the items are still technically in stock.

i don't get this explanation. why would you need to be 100% certain about the release schedule to do pre-orders? i pre-ordered a DVD set on amazon once and the item was canceled prior to its release, and they just sent me an email saying, sorry this item was canceled, your credit card will not be charged. what's the big deal?

That is exactly why the answer is unsatisfying. BigBadToyStore.com offers preorders on items when they are RUMORS, and they get by just fine. As far as release dates slipping, look at BBTS again and you see an online retailer that occasionally has preordered items that don't get fulfilled until months after the originally expected date.

The bottom line is that Mattel makes more money and has more leeway to make unpopular figures by forcing you to get a subscription if you want to be guaranteed a figure instead of fighting with the "resellers" and hordes of actual fans at noon once a month.

...The bottom line is that Mattel makes more money and has more leeway to make unpopular figures by forcing you to get a subscription if you want to be guaranteed a figure instead of fighting with the "resellers" and hordes of actual fans at noon once a month.

The sad thing is, until my horrible customer service experience months ago, I would have been more likely to buy the unpopular figures. Now, I'm being especially choosy with the figures I'm buying.

I still don't like how they are shilling the 2011 Subscription but won't entertain the idea of releasing a second half 2010 Sub

I already have 1 sub and I want to buy a second one. They don't have to dangle a carrot like Wun-Dar like they did for the full 2010 sub, people missing out on these figures is enough of a selling point for the half sub.

They keep saying the only way to ensure you get these figures is to buy a Sub so make it available again from She-Ra (June) onwards

I find the coupon mention insulting as I feel it's the main thing that kept me from being able to order Battle Cat before he sold out because their site could not process a single thing without stalling for minutes at a time! I'd rather have a stupid free sticker than a useless coupon code, jerks.

I am REALLY hoping for more of the shipping discounts like we got on BC!! Subscribers deserve it for paying double shipping on nearly a monthly basis for bonus and re-issue items. The shipping is killing us!!

2. King Tycho & King Kahn: Could Mattel offer 6-month subscriptions (which would help for those who missed out on 12-month subscriptions) and/or a lump sum payment for subscriptions, as opposed to payments spread across the year?

No, 2010 subscriptions are closed. Make sure to jump in on the 2011 subscription when it is offered this summer! We did offer a lump sum subscription in 2009 and very few fans were interested so we removed that option for 2010.

Hi TG! Could you please clarify this anwer a bit more. The 2009 fall sub was offered in May 2009 when the line was still fresh. There have been many more fans getting into collecting MOTUC after that. With the fast sell-out times and Mattel's plan in keeping figures available only for a few hours, couldn't Mattel atleast see if there's fan interest in a subscription for the rest of 2010?

Heidi

EDIT: And about the pre-orders. I've bought pre-order products before, as I believe have most adult collectors. Delays are something that happen often so people are used to that. I personally don't care if a product is delayed as long as it's on it's way. Sometimes even cancellations happen, but that is just how things go. I can't see people being majorly upset about cancellations. I think the major upset comes for being left-out more than from not getting the figure.

Last edited by Heidi; February 18, 2010 at 02:03am.

"The most difficult thing is trying not to forget who you really want to be." - Nong Toom